Sunday, December 3, 2023, marked a catastrophic event when 23 out of 75 climbers were found dead due to an eruption of the Marapi volcano, and over a dozen were sent to the hospital with serious to minor injuries. This volcano, in West Sumatra, Indonesia, is one of the most active volcanoes in the area. Its last eruption killed over 60 people.
“Authorities have ended the search and rescue operation in Mount Marapi as all the victims have been found by late Wednesday,” said Abdul Muhari, a spokeswoman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
During Sunday’s eruption, Marapi sent out thick columns of ash as high as 3,000 meters (9,800 feet), and heated ash clouds stretched for several kilometers (miles). Nearby villages and towns were blanketed by volcanic material that obscured sunlight, and authorities advised residents to wear masks to protect themselves from the ash.
Marapi is notable for its unpredictable eruptions, which are not generated by deep magma movement that can register on seismic monitoring. Since the event, smaller eruptions have thrown additional ash into the air, decreasing visibility and briefly slowing search and recovery efforts.
The catastrophe has left some of the surviving climbers traumatized. Tita Cahyani, a 24-year-old first-time hiker, was on her way down the Marapi volcano in Indonesia when it began to spew acrid smoke, pebbles, and ash.
“I’m scared, and I don’t want to do it again,” Cahyani, who is being treated for significant burns at a hospital in Padang Panjang, told Reuters News.
Mount Marapi is still on Alert Level II, which was in place prior to Sunday’s explosion due to signs of volcanic activity that had been noticed since January. Officials advise residents, tourists, and visitors to steer clear of a two-mile radius from the volcano’s crater. Volcanic ash continues to fall in Agam Regency, West Sumatra Province, more than three days after the eruption. Anyone venturing outside is recommended to wear a mask, cap, and glasses, and to clean ash from building roofs so that they do not collapse.
